Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

2 And Hannah prayed, and said, “My heart rejoices in the LORD. My horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies because I rejoice in Your salvation.

² “There is none as Holy as the LORD. Yea, there is none besides You; and there is no god like our God.

³ “No longer speak so exceedingly proudly. Do let not arrogancy come out of your mouth. For the LORD is a God of knowledge; and by Him enterprises are established.

⁴ “The bow and the mighty men are broken; and the weak have girded themselves with strength.

⁵ “Those who were full are now hired for bread, yet the hungry are no more. Even the barren has borne seven; and she who had many children is now feeble.

⁶ “The LORD kills and makes alive, brings down to the grave and raises up.

⁷ “The LORD makes poor and makes rich, brings low and exalts.

⁸ “He raises up the poor from the dust and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, to set among princes and to make them inherit the seat of glory. For the pillars of the Earth are the LORD’s, and he has set the world upon them.

⁹ “He will keep the feet of His saints; and the wicked shall keep silence in darkness. For in might shall no man be strong.

¹⁰ “The LORD’s adversaries shall be destroyed, and out of Heaven shall He thunder upon them. The LORD shall judge the ends of the world, and shall give power to His King, and exalt the horn of His Anointed.”

²¹ So, the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.

²² But Hannah did not go up; for she said to her husband, “I will wait until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, so that he may appear before the LORD and stay there forever.

²³ And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Do what seems best to you. Wait until you have weaned him. Only, may the LORD accomplish His Word.” So, the woman waited and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

²⁴ And when she had weaned him, she took him with her with three bullocks and an ephah of flour and a bottle of wine and brought him to the House of the LORD in Shiloh. And the child was young.

²⁵ And they killed a bull and brought the child to Eli.

²⁶ And she said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood with you here praying to the LORD!

²⁷ “I prayed for this child; and the LORD has given me my desire which I asked of Him.

²⁸ “Therefore, I also have given him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he shall be given to the LORD.” And he worshipped the LORD there.

¹¹ But you, O man of God, flee these things! And pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness.

¹² Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you are also called and have professed a good profession before many witnesses.

¹³ I charge you in the sight of God Who quickens all things, and before Jesus Christ Who witnessed a good confession under Pontius Pilate,

¹⁴ that you keep this commandment spotless and irreproachable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;

¹⁵ which He Who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, shall show in due time.

¹⁶ He alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, Whom no man ever saw nor can see, and to whom be honor and power everlasting, Amen.

¹⁷ Charge those who are rich in this world not to be high-minded, and not to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God Who abundantly gives us all things to enjoy;

¹⁸ to do good and be rich in good works. And be generous and ready to share,

¹⁹ laying up in treasure for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, so that they may obtain eternal life.

²⁰ O Timothy, keep that which was entrusted to you. And avoid profane and empty babblings and so-called oppositions of “science”.

²¹ By professing it, some have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

(The first Epistle to Timothy, written from Laodicea, the chief city of Phrygia Pacatiana)